Mongolia Naadam Festival - Dates, History & How to Celebrate

• Date of celebration: 11 to 13 July each year.
• What is it? A sports festival focusing on traditional games horse racing, wrestling and archery.
• Where is it celebrated? Almost everywhere in Mongolia.
• At Ulaanbaatar, the largest Naadam festival is organized.
• While men only participate in wrestling, women and men participate in other sports.      
• The game is open to all, encouraging community involvement and sense of togetherness.
• During Mongolia Naadam Festival, the national cuisine - Khuushuur is specially made and sold.  
• A chance for the visitors to experience the local culture and nomadic heritage of Mongolia.
• At the National Naadam festival, held in Ulaanbaatar, passes or tickets are required for entry. In the rest of the country, entry is free.
 

Each year Mongolians await the arrival of Naadam Festival or Eriin Gurvan Naadam (three games of men). Included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Naadam is the part of the national sporting heritage of Mongolia. The festival is all about fun, spending time with family and savoring the khuushuur with some top-notch vodka or airag (whichever is available). And, watching players taking part in the wrestling, horse racing, and archery contests.

Although the festival is celebrated in almost every corner of the country, it is in the small hamlets of the Mongolia visitors can witness the community involvement. Probably, these tiny villages are the best places to experience Mongolia Naadam Festival. The festival is a treat for photography enthusiasts. Players dressed up in colorful gear, locals enjoying the nail-biting game, and a beautiful background – everything at Naadam can be ultra-photogenic.
 In Ulaanbaatar, the national Mongolia Naadam Festival is hosted in the National Sports Stadium. The nearest bus stop to the stadium is Nekhmeliin Shar Bus Stop. Travelers can take taxis to reach the venue. From the main city center, cab would take around 15 minutes to reach the destination. Base fare ranges from T800 to T1,200 (US$1.8-2.7) per kilometer (prices are subjected to change).
 In the national capital, visitors need passes for entry. The 1st-day tickets cost around US$25, and the following day ticket range from US$10 to US$12. Tickets are available one week prior to the festival and sell out fast. Several private tour operators sell the tickets for the festival. Interested tourists can check the official Naadam event page to buy the tickets directly.

In the rest of the country, the entry in the Naadam is free.
 It is believed that the origin of Naadam is closely related to the military history of the country. According to many ancient records, Emperor Genghis Khan scouted for exceptional soldiers from organized events of archery, horserace, and wrestling regularly. Later these organized events were termed Eriin Gurvan Naadam or simply Naadam.

During the reign of the Qing Empire, the festival was hosted three years apart followed by a Tibetan Buddhist celebration honoring Javzandamba khutagt – one of the most revered spiritual leaders of the region. Ironically, monks were banned from participating in the event, in the bid to segregate the Mongolian population. However, the locals found a workaround against this rule. They began hosting Naadam-style events during religious festivals, weddings, or community celebrations.

From 1912, Mongolia Naadam Festival was organized annually. Post 1921, the religious ceremonies were replaced by military parades and demonstrations. After the end of Soviet-regime, the Naadam has become the symbol of national celebration and unity.
 In the state capital, the Naadam festival opens with an elaborate ceremony featuring dancers, musicians, wrestlers, horse riders, and other athletes. It is hosted by the President of the country and visited by the eminent national and international state dignitaries. The colorful ceremony consists of special Khöömei overtone songs on a Morin khuur fiddle, local performing arts, and Bie biyelgee dance.

In Ulaanbaatar, Yesun Khult Tsagaan Tug ceremony is hosted. It is the symbolic transfer of nine horse tails, representing the Mongol nine tribes during the reign of Genghis Khan, representing unity and feeling of solidarity within the country. The parades are the highlight of the ceremony and feature the mounted cavalry. 

After the opening ceremony, the games begin.
 After the opening ceremony, wrestling matches are organized. Based on the number of opponents participating in the match, the wrestling match can continue to ten rounds. In Mongolia, wrestling matches, at least visually, look similar to the dance of flying eagles.

An all-men event, here the participants wrestle each other in a single-elimination tournament until the opponent falls on the ground. It is an untimed event with no weight limit. The contending champion can choose his opponent. The winner of the game is awarded the title of Arslan or The Lion.

The participants wear Zodog (heavy-duty collarless sleeved jacket in either blue or red color), Shuudag (a tight-fitting brief), and Gutal or leather boots. The wrestling uniform has remained the same for centuries to aid the players in mobility.

Apart from winning, the players have to showcase exceptional sportsmen's spirit and follow match curtsey during the game.
 Archery has been an important part of Mongolian culture, probably due to its nomadic lifestyle and military history. In the Mongolia Naadam Festival, both men, women as well as children participate in different categories Buriad, Khalkh, and Uriankhai. While men shoot arrows from the distance of 75 meters, 65 meters distance is set for the women’s tournament.

The archery participants wear traditional Mongolian dress, Deel, for the tournament.
 The Mongolian horse racing tournaments are a cross-country tournament covering a distance of 15–30 km (9.3 to 18.64 miles). The age class of the horse determines the duration of the race. And more surprisingly, children are the jockeys of these horses.

Lastly, Mongolia Naadam Festival is the cultural celebration of Mongolian heritage. It shows how these people have survived in the rugged Asian steppe and went on the conquer enemies.